


King and Lionheart

by twisted_shrew



Category: Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Abusive Parents, Angst, Archie Andrews Being an Idiot, Bad Parenting, Betty Cooper Deserves Better, Betty Cooper Needs a Hug, Betty Cooper is not a damsel in distress, Eating Disorders, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gang Violence, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Jughead Jones Needs a Hug, Jughead Jones is Not Asexual, Jughead is a badass, M/M, Negligent parent, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Religious Imagery & Symbolism, Semi Slow Burn, chosen family, dark themes, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-07-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:54:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24873394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twisted_shrew/pseuds/twisted_shrew
Summary: Everyone has a story if people are curious enough to listen. In the wicked little town of Riverdale, New York, a new tale is about to unfold.Betty's life has been distilled down to the basics: get up early, run, get ready to fake it, put on her best girl-next-door smile, and make it through the day.So of course, as the cliche demands, a damaged boy changes everything.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 24
Kudos: 58
Collections: 7th Bughead Fanfiction Awards - Nominees





	1. Lovely

The Town with PEP!

111 Elm Street, Riverdale New York.

The house with the red door.

The house with three people that were once four.

* * *

Dante’s Inferno describes the first circle of Hell as that of Limbo. A place for those who do not fit within the parameters of faith, it’s not a horrible place but it’s no heaven. Souls are sent to reside in Limbo forever because of mistakes that are often not their own. Limbo is where Betty is now.

Purgatory. Purgatory is where Betty had been; a place of agony and suffering that has no feasible escape. That’s not to say that Betty won’t go back to Purgatory, but right now it’s all a waiting game; a seemingly endless wait.


	2. Paralyzed

There was a lot about the new Cooper house that was the same. Having moved to Riverdale a little less than a week ago Betty thought that everything would feel completely different, she certainly did. 

But many things were the same. The outside, from the shiny red door (freshly painted) and the pristine yard with the perfectly manicured flowerbeds, all of it felt like it was simply superimposed from the old house in the old town. 

The inside of the house was similar. Walking inside felt like being in a showroom: perfectly complementary accent and focal colors, furniture that was not meant to be comfortable, and not a single thing out of place. Although the house was beautiful, it didn’t feel like anyone could live there. It was the feeling in the house, that’s what really made it feel sterile; there was no life, no movement. Just like the old Cooper house, there was no warmth. 

But at least for now, the overwhelming feeling of claustrophobia and malice had been left behind. 

* * *

  
Alice Cooper was determined that the household would operate as usual. She had complete faith that her family would bounce back to the normal, perfect, life. Which is why Polly and Betty Cooper were being marched into Riverdale High School an hour and a half before classes were to start. 

“Polly try not to look so grouchy; you won’t make a good impression. And Betty, don’t slouch, stand up straight. Honestly girls.” Alice never even looked back at the two girls, she just walked and belittled like only a seasoned veteran can. 

Polly rolled her eyes so hard Betty was sure that her head was going to roll right along with them. Betty just kept her eyes focused ahead. Ahead of the trio, an older black man stepped out of a doorway. 

“Ah, Mrs. Cooper? I’m principal Weatherby.” Weatherby stretched his hand out to meet Alice. 

“Mr. Weatherby, thank you for meeting with us this morning. I want to make sure that the girls get off on the right foot here, I’m sure you understand.” Alice had the patented _Cooper-smile_ firmly in place.

“We’ll have classmates show the girls around later, but I’m happy to answer any questions and make sure that the girls feel comfortable here.” Weatherby looked at the Polly and Betty with a gentle smile on his face, “Pauline and Elizabeth, correct?”

“I actually prefer Polly and she goes by Betty.” Polly was quick to point out, but the smile was firmly in place before she spoke. 

“Of course. I’ll make sure that change is made. Now if you ladies would like to follow me, I’d be happy to answer your questions, Mrs. Cooper.” From there Weatherby led the trio into a book-lined room with windows facing out into the hallway they just left. 

Betty couldn’t have told you exactly what was said in that meeting. Betty had simply been going through the motions of her new mundane existence, she was not happy nor was she sad, she existed. So, listening to her mother steamroll this new principal about the importance of extra-curriculars and the standards of the school; that just didn’t matter to Betty. More than likely her mother would pick the extra-curriculars for her less than enthusiastic daughters. 

Betty had always liked school. She loved any excuse to get away from her house, especially ones she didn’t have to run by her mother beforehand. This is why when her mother picked out a few extra-curriculars that she could choose from, Betty would volunteer to do them all. People thought Betty was an overachiever, wanted to get into an Ivy League school, or that she was a teacher’s pet. She honestly didn’t care about any of that, she just wanted to have a routine and wanted to not think about her life ~~or the life she left behind.~~

“Betty?” When Betty focused back on the conversation, she saw that Mr. Weatherby was focused back on her, Polly was on her phone, and her mother was staring at her expectantly. 

“I’m sorry. Can you repeat that?”

“I was just asking if it would be alright with you if for your last period you were in the automotive program? Your mother mentioned that you have experience working on cars. Unfortunately, all the other 7th period classes are full. We just recently had two schools in the district merge, and it’s been an adjustment period for all of us.” _Oh. Hell. Yes._ Weatherby looked perturbed by this subject, Betty wasn’t sure if it was the automotive class or the school merger; but she was not going to miss the chance to do something she loved.

Looking at her mom she saw that Alice had a small smile on her face. She wanted this for Betty. Alice knew that between her two daughters the move took a toll, but it was Betty that took it harder.

“Yes. I would honestly love that.” Betty had her _Cooper-smile_ out in full force. 

The conversation continued with Weatherby assuring Alice that the girls would join the school with very little problem. It apparently was a great time because of the merger, students were still getting to know each other.

* * *

At 7:30 am there was a gentle knock on the door to the office. After an appropriate acknowledgment, the door opened to two people, presumably students. 

“Ah Jason, Kevin. Thank you for joining us this morning. Polly this is Jason Blossom and Betty this is Kevin Keller they will be your Bulldog-Buddies. They were chosen because they share most classes with you. If you have any questions you can always come to the office but these two should be a resource for you as well.” That felt like a clear dismissal if Betty had ever heard one. 

After making their salutations and giving their thanks the two girls joined their buddies. Polly and Jason stepped off pretty quickly with Polly offering a soft smile and a promise to find Betty during lunch. 

Betty gave a gentle smile in response. She then turned her full attention to the boy standing next to her.

Offering her a hand and a big smile, “Kevin Keller. It’s nice to meet you, Elizabeth, right?”

Betty took his hand and gave another gentle smile, “Betty actually. Thanks for showing me around Kevin.”

He waved her off,” Don’t even worry about it, I genuinely like meeting the new kids. So, shall we?”

The two set out. Betty found herself liking Kevin’s easy wit and genuine kindness. He didn’t ask a lot of prying questions after Betty showed an unwillingness to talk about why they moved or her family. He showed her the school, from the cafeteria to the gymnasium, with all the classrooms in-between. He was also quick to fill her in on all the important gossip.

“So, Southside High School got shut down because a drug lab was found in the boiler room. Half the students were transferred to Greendale and half here to Riverdale. Which I think was stupid on the school district’s part.” 

Wait, “Hold on, a drug lab?” Betty wasn’t sure how Kevin thought he could just gloss over that bit. 

Kevin gave a little shrug, “Oh, yeah. The Southside is where most drugs here in Riverdale come from. So, it wasn’t really a surprise when the school got shut down.” 

“So why is it such a big deal for the schools to merge? Aren’t you all from the same town?” Kevin didn’t seem to care much about the details of the drug-lab issue. The old-Betty would have pressed for more, new-Betty already felt exhausted by the day. 

  
“Riverdale is split down the middle, South and North sides. A lot of affluent families settled on the Northside and so the price of living increased too. The Southside was cheaper. So just like with any American town, all tax revenue is received and used on the Northside. It left an economic hole on the Southside, so crime is common.” Kevin seemed to struggle to articulate the problem, his head was waving side-to-side and his eyebrows were scrunching.

He wobbled his hand in front of himself, “So yes, we’re all from the same town. But there’s some animosity and a lot of bad blood between the two sides of town.”

“Sounds very _West Side Story_.” Betty was struggling to picture this little town in this new way.

Kevin gave a huff of laughter, “Oh Betty. You have no idea how relevant that analogy is.” 

Before Kevin was able to elaborate or Betty could ask any new questions, a small hand grabbed Kevin’s elbow. 

“Kevin Keller, what do we have here? Who is this absolute bombshell?” What could only be described as a living cartoon princess, right down to the pearls, was looking Betty up and down. Her eyes were kind but overtly calculating. 

“Betty Cooper meet Veronica Lodge. Heiress, socialite, shoe snob, and amazing person. Veronica, this is Betty.” Kevin gestured between the two in a grand gesture. 

Veronica waved her hand dismissively, “Former heiress and disgraced socialite.” She took Betty’s hand and a beautiful smile lit her already stunning features. “Bettykins, you and I will be fierce friends, I just know it. Besides, I need more female forces in my life.” 

Betty wasn’t really sure what to say to any of it. Her exhaustion was creeping up on her; but as much as she wasn’t seeking out friendships, there was this craving for companionship. So, she smiled another gentle smile and made sure her image remained peppy and kind.

Luckily, between Kevin and Veronica, Betty didn’t really need to contribute much to the conversation. By the time Kevin had shown her to her locker (conveniently across the hall from Veronicas and kiddy-corner to Kevin’s) Betty had heard all about the teachers and what ones were a gift from Satan himself. 

Kevin then led her through her first few classes, often with Veronica, and more often with the two of them offering snarky quips and peppering in the information they thought Betty should know. They told her how Cheryl Blossom ruled this school like the played out gothic trope that she wanted to be, how some of the football team were to be avoided, which bathrooms were cleanest, and (with Betty’s subtle prompting) where she could slip away to if she wanted to get away for a minute. 

Veronica was in the middle of trying to convince Betty to try out for the cheerleading team, the River Vixens when her day shifted tones. Betty continued walking outside to find Polly for lunch but turned her head to talk to Veronica and explain that she wasn’t really the type for cheerleading when she walked into someone’s back. 

“I am so sorry! I was not watching where I was going! Are you okay?” The blush spreading across her cheeks couldn’t be controlled. She looked up to meet the eye of the guy she bumped into and grimaced internally.

The guy was tall, probably north of 6’2” and had a take-no-shit look about his dark brown eyes. But there was a smile forming on his lips before he let out a small chuckle. 

“No sweat Blondie. Happens to everyone. Are you okay?” The smile helped to calm Betty and she took the chance to glance over him. Leather jacket, dark flannel, and beat-up black boots completed the general aura of teenage angst. She nodded and allowed herself to smile. “Sweet Pea by the way. Are you new or have I just not seen you?”

“Sweet Pea? Is that your name or a description?” The second the words were out Betty regretted letting her guard down. “Sorry. Betty. We just moved into town Friday.”

If her comments about his name bothered him, he let it roll off of him. “Well Betty, maybe watch where you’re walking? I’d hate for these things to keep happening.” With that he set off in the direction of a table on the lawn, the people around it all looked like they had the same general sense of style. One of the guys said something that prompted Sweetpea to flip the bird but there were smiles and smirks all around. Looking at the group left Betty with an odd feeling in her chest. She shrugged it off and turned back to Veronica.

“I’m going to go and find my sister? She wanted to have lunch together.” Betty’s comment came out as more of a question because she wasn’t sure how to dip out of sitting with Veronica without seeming rude. However, when Betty looked at Veronica, she noticed that Veronica had an odd expression on her face, something between horror, confusion, and awe. “Are you okay?”

Veronica seemed to shake herself, when she looked back at Betty there was still confusion sitting in the tilt of her eyebrows. “I know you’re new and all, but I didn’t even think Sweet Pea could smile. At least around Northsiders. And then there’s you who literally runs into him and barely says anything, and he is all kind and soft. Incredible. You Betty Cooper are a mystery.” 

Shaking her head with a laugh Veronica shooed Betty off to find Polly and made a plan to find her after lunch for their final class together. Betty wasn’t really sure what that was all about but decided, like a lot of other things in her life currently, to dismiss it. 

It took Betty a few moments to find Polly in the sea of students. Polly was sitting with Jason and what seemed like football players and cheerleaders, based solely on their fashion choices. Polly caught her eye and her face lit up waving her over almost frantically. With a deep breath and a quiet sigh, Betty packed her Cooper-smile onto her face and set out to meet this new unwanted challenge. 

* * *

  
Lunch was overwhelming and horrible in new and exciting ways. Polly introduced her officially to Jason Blossom who then introduced her to everyone at the table. 

Cheryl. Moose. Ginger. Midge. Trula. Archie. Chuck. The faces and names all blurred, not a chance that she would ever be able to put them together. Except for Cheryl, she was everything Veronica said she was.

“Cheryl thinks we should try out for the Vixens, doesn’t that sound fun Betty?” There was nothing Betty wanted more at that moment then to escape this table. Before she had to come up with reasons to get out of cheerleading Cheryl saved her.

“Actually, I said that Polly should come to try out. You, Betty Draper circa season 5, don’t seem to fit the aesthetic requirements. Besides, wallflowers don’t fit on my squad.” There was an evil glint in her eyes and a sharp smile. Betty wasn’t 100% sure what her references meant, but she knew the general theme was a dig at her weight. 

Betty fought a blush and the tightening feeling of shame in her throat. “Cheerleading isn’t really my thing. Polly, you should definitely do it. Sounds perfect for you.” Polly sent Betty an apologetic smile and had an odd glint in her eye. 

Betty would do anything to make Polly happy. Polly deserved all the happiness and if Betty had her way, she would get a happy ending for her story. Betty would suffer all the mean-girl drama and the presence of people she definitely thought were played out tropes if it made Polly smile. So that’s what Betty did, she smiled and nodded when appropriate. Every moment she sat there was a drain on her and as soon as she could she made excuses to leave. She mentioned something about a teacher and catching up, no one was listening anyway. 

* * *

Betty had one objective in mind. Get away from the bullshit. She needed a minute to recharge, re-center, and find the patience and energy to present the Betty-Cooper-façade of bubblegum pink and the general personality-less persona. 

Remembering Kevin and Veronica mentioning the best get-away spots she quickly ducked into an old newspaper room. Apparently, the paper had two staff members, they had started the paper back up after the school merge but only used the room after school. Betty dropped her bag and fell into an open desk chair. Slapping her head down on her folded arms she took a moment to simply close her eyes and picture being somewhere else. 

A throat cleared from the direction of the door. _No_. Betty was at her limit, she could not fake or force another interaction. A girl's voice, “Hey. So, sorry. You can just lay there if you want. Just wanted to let you know that we’re in here.” There was shuffling and chairs scraping along with bags being dropped. 

  
“You alright Blondie?” That made her pause. Taking a steeling breath Betty glanced over her arms. She saw a sea of black leather and a flash of pink out of the corner of her eye, but across from her was Sweet Pea. Releasing the breath slowly through her nose she grunted and placed her head back down. Alice would kill her; Polly would be embarrassed. Old-Betty would never be in this situation new-Betty didn’t give a _fuck_ ; she wanted to sink into the lukewarm feeling of isolation and emotional distance. Everywhere Betty has gone today there were people and those people expected bubblegum and a perfect caricature. 

“That good, huh?” Sweet Pea had a laugh in his voice. “What the Bulldogs bore you into a coma or did your brain melt through your ears after sitting near Cheryl?” 

Unknown to Betty the other five people in the room shared a look, Sweet Pea shrugged. In all honesty, they were all interested in what they were seeing. This girl, who could be described as a Stepford wife knockoff, the girl whose hair looked tight enough to hurt, who hadn’t said much of anything let alone something controversial and who had a gentle smile for everyone; that girl was in the Blue and Gold office in a room full of leather and testosterone and she basically brushed them all off. 

Raising her head up just enough to see and speak Betty fought for control of her mood, “Look. I’m not trying to be rude; I just really am not looking for a conversation with a bunch of 80’s stereotypes. So, if you want, I can leave, or you can go about your business and pretend that I’m not here.” 

“When you’re in a better mood I think we should talk. There’s a backbone under all that candy-floss.” Turning slightly, Betty saw where the pink had been coming from. A small girl with a dark complexion and pastel pink hair was giving Betty a genuine smile. On most girls the hair would seem loud and trendy, she made it edgy and natural. “Toni Topaz by the way. These guys are Fangs, Joaquin, Jughead, and you’ve met Sweetpea.” She gestured at them in turn. Toni didn’t reach to shake her hand and for that Betty was thankful. 

“Stay. You look like you need a break.” Who she thought was Jughead motioned with a casual wave of his hand. Betty’s face made the effort to smile, but she gave up and made a soft humming noise then laid her head back down. 

Old-Betty would ask questions, she would analyze each clothing choice, offer genuine smiles, and generally be endearing. New-Betty was drained just thinking about it. She did notice a couple of things; these people didn’t push nor did they seem to consume her energy the way everyone had been recently. For that, Betty would try to be kind when she had more to give. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me on Tumblr @ twisted-shrew
> 
> Kudos and Comments will get you far in this world


	3. State of Dreaming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to my Beta: [Arsenic Panda](https://arsenicpanda.tumblr.com/%20)

The group had spent the remainder of lunch amongst themselves, leaving Betty with time to herself, time to regroup. When the warning bell rang for the end of lunch, Betty gathered her frayed mentality and pasted on her best old-Betty persona; only with that firmly in place did she raise her head.

The five other people in the room were packing up their stuff as well.

“Feeling better, Blondie?” Sweet Pea had a small smirk on his face, but the look in his eyes was not unkind.

“Yeah. Thanks for just letting me be.” The smile on Betty’s face was already wearing on her. A couple of them looked at her with various expressions of confusion.

“Hey. If you need space from all the fake bullshit, you’re always welcome here. The whole Northern Riverdale perception of _PEP_ is stupid.” Toni had appeared in front of Betty. The look she gave told Betty that Toni was bored with the falsely cheery little town. The others gave nods or hums of agreement. “Honestly, as much of a joke as Southside High was, at least everyone was themselves. There was no pretense.”

 _Oh_. “You guys were the transfers from the other side of town?”

There was a derisive snort. “Some of them anyway. Why, did everyone tell you to stay away from the scary bikers from the wrong side of the tracks?” The guy who said it (Fangs, Betty thought) had a hurt tone underlying his eye roll. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and looked back at Betty. 

Betty would have assumed it was a rhetorical question except the look he shot her was full of questions. When Betty glanced around she caught the beanie-wearing one’s eye (Jughead, she told herself), there was a guardedness about him that made Betty wonder; the way he was looking at her was like he was judging her intentions. When she continued to look around she found that all of them were watching her, her answer meant something to them. 

“No one has mentioned anything about bikers. I heard that there’s some animosity between the two sides of town though.” A passive shrug and Betty’s tone not shifting from indifference seemed to settle Fangs and in turn, the tone in the room shifted as well. The boy at Fangs’ side, Joaquin, sent Betty a small grin.

With a little nod Fangs set off for the door, and after pushing it open, he turned to hold it for everyone. They all jostled and pushed each other good-naturedly on their way out.

Betty and Jughead were the last out of the room. Holding the strap of her bag, she observed that he was keeping step beside her and still appeared to be observing her.

“Are you bikers? Are you in some type of biker gang?” Betty asked with a tiny bit of humor in her question. _Biker gang. Yeah right, just some teenagers with too much angst and an affinity for leather, plaid, and boots._ But when she chanced a look at Jughead there was a small, dangerous smirk on his otherwise stoic face. The others had since split with only Sweet Pea behind them now.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “What if I said we are? You going to run off to your daddy and say the scary Southsiders harassed you?” The way he said it wasn’t outright rude, more guarded and dismissive; at the same time, there was a testing edge that implied that this response meant something too.

The mention of her _daddy_ dropped Betty into a floating feeling of unrealistic apathy; there was a small flicker of anger and also of sorrow and shame that she immediately tried to quell. Something of her reaction must have shown on her face because the expression on Jughead’s countenance shifted imperceptibly.

Meeting his test, she arched a challenging eyebrow. “Why, Jughead? Why should it matter to me that you engage in a pattern of dangerous behavior? Or that you and your little posse of teenage pseudo-gangsters seem to want everyone to be just a little scared of you?” As she spoke Betty watched as Jughead’s face relaxed into what could be thought of as relief.

A smile crossed Jughead’s lips and Sweet Pea let out a huff of laughter. Before either of them could say anything else, someone called Betty’s name down the hall at the same time a hand gripped her elbow.

A jolt of anxiety and fear arched down Betty’s spine. She wrenched her arm from the grip and spun to face whoever had grabbed her stepping back toward the boys. Jughead steadied her abrupt spin with a gentle hand to the small of her back. In front of her, she found Polly, Jason, and a couple of other guys from the football team. Most of the guys had their gazes firmly set on the two boys behind Betty, but Polly was looking solely at her sister.

“Betty! I’ve been looking all over for you! Are you okay?” There was a fierceness to Polly’s expression when she first started speaking, but by the end, her face had softened into concern.

Betty’s heart had only just begun to slow, and there was a wild look to her eyes. Jughead went to remove his hand but Betty unconsciously shifted back into the touch, seeking comfort in his presence; in response, he pressed into the touch with more confidence.

“Oh. Polly, I’m sorry, were you looking for me? I got caught up with some reading for my English class and I only noticed when the bell rang.” Betty was fairly used to glossing over the truth with her sister. For months Betty had been playing the part of the disappointed daughter for her family.

“Yes! Of course, I was looking for you! I wanted to make sure you’re okay and wanted to know what you think of the school? Cheryl invited us over for a sleepover this weekend, that’s exciting right?”

“Are you sure it was an _us_ invite and not just a _Polly_ invite?” Betty had no desire to engage with Polly on the rest of her statement.

Betty was also pretty sure that if Cheryl invited her it was because Polly requested it and not because Cheryl wanted anything to do with Betty. Also, Betty had no desire to spend the weekend with anyone, especially Cheryl Blossom and her assortment of cronies. As though she was summoned with the mere mention of her name, the red-haired she-demon cleared a path through the football team and stopped when she was just in front of her brother and a step ahead of Polly.

“Yes, Betty. I meant to invite you both to my abode. I would hate for you and dear-sweet Polly to fall into the underbelly of our lovely town.” Cheryl’s tone was faux-cheer and all superiority. The sneer on her face and the last part of her statement were directed solely at the boys that were still behind Betty.

“Now, slither away. Your presence is infringing on my ability to breathe untainted air.” The flicking motion of her wrists was both dismissive and threatening, which Betty found mildly impressive.

The hand on Betty’s back slipped off gently. Betty could still feel them both behind her, and Cheryl’s eyebrow was arching higher by the moment. Betty turned and found Jughead looking at her and Sweet Pea staring down the boys that were behind Cheryl and Polly. The tilt to his head and the subtle narrowing of Jughead’s eyes suggested a question. 

With a start Betty understood, they weren’t going to leave unless she wanted them to. _They cared. Why though?_

This time when the small smile spread across Betty’s face, it was a natural one. She reached out and touched Jughead’s hand, just a gentle graze of her fingertips; his eyes flicked down at the feeling.

“It’s okay, guys. Thank you for making sure I found my way. I’ll see you soon.” She made sure to catch Sweet Pea’s eye as well as Jughead’s.

“You heard her, snake. Scram. We’ll make sure she’s taken care of.” The voice came from one of the football team guys, she knew he was at lunch but had forgotten his name.

Sweet Pea took a step forward, but Jughead’s arm immediately caught him in the chest. Polly had been watching this exchange closely; Betty however didn’t care about the Bulldogs and kept her focus on the two leather-clad figures.

“Thank you, seriously. But I should get to class anyway.” It was at that moment that Veronica Lodge invited herself into the circle of people, looking very in control while dragging a stumbling Kevin behind her.

“Betty! We’ve been looking for you! We didn’t think you’d know how to find chemistry.” Veronica had a singular focus, but Kevin’s eyes were darting between the two groups and growing comically wide.

Betty was not going to engage with the stupid macho posturing that the football team was doing, so she took the excuse that Veronica and Kevin presented. Betty turned so she was fully facing the duo.

“Oh! Thank you! I’m sure I would have gotten lost. Polly, I really should go but I’ll see you after school.” She offered a wave to the rest of the people behind her sister then turned her head to the two boys who still hadn’t abandoned her to the roving hordes of high school stereotypes. “Thank you again, guys! I’ll see you soon, right?”

Jughead nodded with a quirk of his lips before his expression returned to indifference, and he stepped back from the group to turn on his heel and walk down the hall. Because his bag was hanging from his shoulder, the back of his jacket proudly displayed the two-headed snake in the shape of an _S_. Betty turned her eyes back toward Sweet Pea with an arched eyebrow.

“Easy, Blondie. I’ve got Chem too.” The smirk on his face only grew when Veronica gave a small huff. He made a grand gesture with his hand and looked at Veronica. “Lead the way, boss.”

The walk to chemistry wasn’t long, but it was lacking the rumble of conversation that Veronica and Kevin had joyfully filled the morning with. It was clear that Sweet Pea’s presence had thrown the duo off; it was also clear that Sweet Pea loved it. All of this had a small bubble of amusement and an authentic feeling of joy sitting in Betty’s chest. 

There was something so genuine and raw about all the leather-wearing teens. Maybe it was that the qualities were so rare in Betty’s life, but she was drawn to them, and maybe because of this, it was the first time in a while that she felt like she wanted to let people in, and that terrified her.

There was nothing wrong with Veronica or Kevin; in fact, she did want to know them, but their constant need to talk and the way that even though they didn’t ask directly, they were attempting to subtly find out about Betty’s life put her on edge. But there was zero chance that Betty would seek out Cheryl and her entourage for companionship. 

After a quick stop at their lockers, with Sweet Pea propping himself up next to Betty’s and glaring at anyone that got close, they found their way to the Chemistry classroom. Like so many of the other classes throughout the day, the teacher asked Betty to introduce herself before directing her to a table with an empty seat next to a redhead. The table next to Betty had Sweet Pea and the table behind her had Kevin and Veronica.

“Hi. Betty, right? You’re Polly’s sister. I’m Archie, I’m on the football team with Jason.” The boy next to her supplied Betty with a charming smile and a handshake. It took Betty a minute to remember that he had been at the lunch table with Jason’s Bulldog posse.

“Oh. Hi.” She wasn’t paying a lot of attention to Archie, instead distracted by finding her chemistry textbook and corresponding notebook. When she looked back up, she found Archie still looking at her. The smile on his face never slipped.

 _Weird_.

“Are you finding everything alright? I know that it’s probably confusing finding your way around a new school. If you ever need a tour guide, I’m your man.” A small smile emerged on her face in response to the huff from behind Betty telling her how Kevin felt about the invite.

“Thanks. But Kevin and Veronica are really helpful, and I think I’ll be just fine with them.” With that, Betty turned, purposefully, away from Archie.

As the teacher began the lesson, Betty tried to follow along, making notes in the margins of her paper of questions to ask in order to catch up. Sweet Pea had his phone out and appeared to be ignoring the lecture, but when Betty glanced down at his notebook, she found neat lines of notes.

Around fifteen minutes in Betty became acutely aware of Archie’s tapping pencil and his eyes on her. Glancing at him out of the corner of her eye, she tried to decide what he wanted. Even when caught staring, he didn’t look away.

“Listen, Betty. I know it’s your first day and you don’t know anything about the town, but you really need to stay away from the Serpents. They’re dangerous, and people will get the wrong idea.” The look he gave was not kind; it was a warning.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. The Serpents?” She was sure that he wouldn’t leave her alone until he had said his piece, so she pretended to be paying attention to the teacher by keeping her eyes forward while giving her attention to Archie.

“The Serpents. You know, the Southside Serpents?” The quick eyebrow raise and tilt of her head convinced him to explain, “The biker gang? The kids from the Southside, leather jackets, bad attitudes? They’re not people you want to be known to be around.” His eyes tracked behind Betty to Sweet Pea.

“You mean Toni, Fangs, Joaquin, Jughead, and Sweet Pea?” Archie gave a nod. “Oh. So they are bikers?” That did explain why some of the kids at school were so shifty around them.

Nothing they had done or said around her had made her feel unsafe; there had to be another side to this story. _Maybe I’ll ask Toni. She seems like a straight shooter._

Betty had made up her mind to give the _Serpents_ the benefit of the doubt until she had more information. Honestly, everyone had secrets, and life forced people into impossible situations.

“Huh. Thanks for the warning I guess.” Betty gave a dismissive shrug and turned her focus back to the lecture. But Archie was still looking at her with intent.

“Betty. You don’t understand what kind of people you’re dealing with. The Serpents… the Serpents are dangerous. They’re a _biker gang,_ they deal drugs, beat people up, cover up murders, and smuggle weapons. Women around them are abused, used, and treated like garbage. If you hang around them there will be _talk._ You’re a nice girl, don’t let the whole ‘bad-boy schtick’ ruin that. _”_ Archie had leaned closer to her during all this. The look on his face was also shifting into a heated fervor that was unnerving. “I’ve seen what happens to people who get too close to them, they ruin lives.”

_Hold up._

“Archie. You’re not threatening me, are you?” There was a small gasp behind her.

Betty was no longer pretending to be paying attention to the teacher (who didn’t seem to be paying attention to the students anyway) and was now turned slightly toward the redhead. She glanced over her shoulder and found both Kevin and Veronica watching them; Betty could also feel Sweet Pea shifting in his seat. Luckily, it appeared no one else was paying attention to them. Betty once again focused on Archie and found that his face had begun to blanch of color.

“No! Of course I’m not! I just really don’t want you to make any bad choices. Polly seems really nice and talked about you. She also mentioned how the move has been really hard on you, especially leaving your dad…” Archie’s words became a buzz in the back of Betty’s mind.

 _Her dad? Polly had talked about their dad?!_ Archie was still prattling on, not realizing that Betty was no longer listening.

“…So, it’s not a threat. It’s a warning that being involved with the Serpents is asking for trouble. Being involved with the Serpents, you can’t come back from that,” Archie ended his monologue with a satisfied look at about the same time that Betty’s mind came back online.

_This. Bitch._

“Archie. I’m going to assume that you didn’t mean to threaten me, or that you didn’t purposefully try to make my choices for me.” There was color rising in his face now. “But you don't get to tell me what to do or who to talk to. You don’t know me. I don’t care what my sister said about me, that does not give you any rights to my choices. I will decide for myself who is worth my time. And I’m not going to base my opinion of a group, one that has been really nice to me, on one boy’s opinion.” With that final thought, Betty turned toward the front. 

They sat in silence for the remainder of class.

* * *

When the bell finally rang, Betty hurriedly tried to get all of her stuff put together. Veronica was leaning against her desk and chatting with Kevin, while Sweet Pea was still on his phone. Finally, having gathered her stuff, Betty stood and stepped toward Sweet Pea, but just as he looked up at her approach a hand grabbed her left wrist from behind. When Betty turned to see who held her arm, she wasn’t really surprised to see Archie; the flush coloring her cheeks could have been mistaken for embarrassment, but it was anger. 

Knowing it was only her first day and she would likely have to deal with people like Archie for at least the remainder of the school year, she tried her best to find her dwindling patience. She was still facing half toward him, and almost without her noticing, her right hand clenched tight, pressing her nails into the already tender skin. It was a new habit, something she could hide, something that would quiet the buzz in her mind and the pins and needles under her skin. As calmly as she could, she took her arm back. 

“Whoa, hey, can we please talk about this?” Her expression must have been much less calm than she wanted. _Breathe in on a five-count and a fast exhale, fist tightening further and then a conscious release._

Archie had his hand stretched out like he was going to grab her again, so Betty took two hasty steps back, directly into Sweet Pea. 

“You alright, Blondie?” Betty kept her eyes firmly on Archie but nodded in response to the question. 

However, when Sweet Pea went to take a step toward the other boy, Betty raised her arm catching her knuckles on his sternum. She didn’t think she could actually stop him, and from Veronica and Kevin’s quick backpedaling, they didn’t either, but he did stop. 

“Archie, I thought we’d resolved this? Because I’m pretty sure I am done with the conversation.” Once she knew Sweet Pea wouldn’t continue his advance on the red-haired idiot, she let her hand fall back to her side.

“Look, Archie, I really don’t think you’re trying to be horrible but I’m not just going to take your word as gospel. I may not really understand this whole Serpent-Northside-Southside situation, but I do know that I don’t like being grabbed by someone I don’t know.” At this Archie looked very uncomfortable, his ears turning red and looking at Betty like a kicked puppy. “You also seem to have this idea that you know me and you really don’t.” 

“I’ll see you in class tomorrow,” Betty remembered herself just at the end, _blend in, don’t let them see._ Her tacky ending didn’t help with the tension, but it was all she could really muster in the way of fixing the conversation. 

Betty turned on her heel and let out a deep breath. She squared her shoulders and walked from the room. Veronica and Kevin were waiting for her just outside the classroom door, and judging from their expressions, they had been avidly eavesdropping.

In all honesty, Betty was exhausted. For months she had fit herself into the vision that her mother and Polly expected. And even before all the changes, for Betty’s whole life she had played a part: never let them see you falter, smile, play docile and kind, and it was all _bullshit._ Her friends were pre-approved, her clothes were chosen for her, her personality was carefully developed to achieve “perfection” and it was killing her even in the before. Now she felt like she was teetering on the edge of this great maw of the unknown, so she pulled herself together with determination, stuffing away all of the uncertainty, anger, and hope. All her cracks were plastered over with a fresh veneer of Cooper-approved complacency. 

“Okay, girl, I didn’t think you had that in you!” Veronica placed her hands together in front of her chest and turned a grin on Betty. Veronica had apparently decided what she thought of the situation, and she seemed way too excited in Betty’s opinion. “I mean, honestly. Going solely off what I had seen today, and if I may say I am a great judge of character, I would have expected a docile, coquettish response to the wealth of testosterone that Archie just tried to project all over you. _But no,_ Betty Cooper goes and hands him back his well-meaning authority complex!”

“Betty, honestly, where have you been all my life?” Kevin had seemingly decided to follow Veronica’s lead and was also sporting a nearly maniacal gleam in his eye. “And you basically implied that he can shove it! And best of all you implied that you would choose the _Southside Serpents_ over a _Bulldog_ escort!”

“Do you think I was too mean? I really don’t know what came over me.” Her words would have meant more if the shrug at the end didn’t seem so dispassionate. 

Kevin and Veronica were looking at Betty as though they were examining a new species. Sweet Pea, however, had an almost contemplative look around his eyes, but his mouth was set in a strict expression. He had exited the classroom behind Betty and was now leaning his shoulder against the lockers near her. When she caught his eye he merely raised his eyebrows. 

“Okay, well, ignoring that you absolutely gave Archie what he deserves,” Veronica said all of this as if she found Betty particularly dense but then spun to pin Kevin with a fierce look. “Really Kevin, escort? What next, does Betty need to carefully protect her honor?”

“Who is Betty defending her honor from?” Turning to look back towards Sweet Pea she found the rest of the Serpents all with various expressions of humor. Toni had been the one to speak, and the glint in her eyes and the dangerous smile at her mouth left Betty reeling with just how gorgeous Toni was. 

Toni was the exact type of woman that wouldn’t let anyone tell her how she was supposed to think or dress, as evidenced by the grunge-vibe she had going completed by the leather jacket slung across her small shoulders. Although Betty was taller than her, Toni’s personality and pride made Betty feel dwarfed. 

“Apparently from us and the Bulldogs.” Sweet Pea had now turned so his back was leaning against the lockers and had turned his focus onto his friends. There was a smirk on his face and a strange lilt to his voice, almost like he was laughing at something he shouldn’t. “But no worries, Blondie here told Andrews what she thought of needing defending.” The humor was stronger this time and the smile he flashed Betty was kinder than any she had seen from him that day. 

“Now that’s a story I want to hear. But we seriously need to split if we wanna make it to Matheny’s for class.” As Joaquin said this he motioned over his shoulder with his thumb, there was a brief glimpse of a tattoo on his wrist. 

At this both Veronica and Kevin stood straight. Betty glanced around and found that the crowds in the halls had begun to thin in preparation for the final class of the day. 

“See you around, Blondie.” All the Serpents turned to head down the hall with Toni throwing a wave as she spun.

“Wait, you’ve got Matheny’s automotive class?” They all paused and turned slightly to look at Kevin, seeming to ask _so what?_ “That’s Betty’s last class of the day and I’m meant to take her, but honestly I really need to get to French.” The look Kevin shot at Betty was one of embarrassment and apology. 

“Don’t worry about it, we’ll show her.” Jughead looked at Betty and jerked his head in the direction they were heading. 

Betty quickly shot both Veronica and Kevin a smile and promised to find them before school tomorrow before quickly making her way to the group. 

Betty fell into step between Toni and Sweet Pea. After a second Sweet Pea let out a small snort of laughter, and when everyone gave him confused looks, he grinned and looked at Betty. 

“Looks like you need that escort afterall.”

“Was this what her honor needed to be defended from?” Toni asked, joining in on the teasing. 

* * *

The shop was at the back end of the school, next to the locker rooms and with a large bay door leading out toward the football field. When the group spilled into the room, Betty was hit by the metallic taste of rust in the air and the deeply ingrained smell of motor oil and gasoline. It was also pretty hot in the garage, and the humidity outside was bleeding into the room.

After entering, the group headed to a cubby-lined wall, where they unceremoniously dumped their backpacks before hanging their jackets on hooks to the side. There were grease-covered coveralls placed on a workbench nearby. Betty had trailed behind the group while taking in the room. Her eyes had caught on a rusted-out American Rambler near the bay doors.

“So did they just stick you in here because there was nowhere else?” When Betty looked toward the voice she found Joaquin had walked up to her. His tattoos were now visible without the jacket and only his undershirt on, his coveralls had been tied off around his waist. 

“Actually, yeah. But it’s what I would have chosen anyway.” Betty flashed the boy a small smile before turning to look for the teacher. 

“Matheny’s probably in his office, there's just a few of us in the class, and he pretty much lets us have the run of it. We only really look for him when there's a question or something.” He gestured to a door near the Rambler. “I’ll introduce you if you want?” 

Betty nodded and happily followed him across the room. 

“I’ve gotta say, you are not at all what I thought you’d be.” When Joaquin looked at her he had a kind smile on his face. 

“I’m sorry, what?” The confusion in the question seemed to startle him, and he looked at Betty with a strange expression. 

Before Betty could ask another question or Joaquin could answer the first, they had reached the office. A balding man sat at a desk piled high with car magazines and engine catalogs. He was startlingly red in the face with sweat beading his brow, but when he glanced up at Joaquin and Betty he smiled wide.

“Betty right? Principal Weatherby mentioned you’d be starting today. He also mentioned that you already have some experience?” Betty nodded. “Great! We’ll need to go over some safety stuff, liability and all that, then get you some coveralls and show you around, sound good?” Matheny gave Joaquin a ‘thanks’ and a smile to send him on his way. 

Over the next fifteen minutes, Mr. Matheny and Betty went over the guidelines for safety in the garage. He also told her how it mostly worked. Mr. Matheny had a hands-off approach to his job: students came to him when they were stuck, but he didn’t hover. 

Once all the administration was out of the way, he got her those coveralls and then walked her around the garage. She passed Sweet Pea and Fangs working on an engine block that was elevated on a jack, Toni had pretty much buried herself in the bowels of a large green truck, and Joaquin and Jughead were bent over what looked like a muffler with Joaquin holding a blowtorch. 

There were other kids around, but as Joaquin said, there weren’t a lot. Including herself, there were ten people. The other four were off to one side looking at the framework of a gutted, nondescript car. 

Betty and Mr. Matheny were standing nearly in the middle of the room. The big bay door had a small fan in front of the opening and they were taking advantage of the minuscule breeze it provided. Betty caught Jughead looing at her while leaning against the workbench beside Joaquin.

“What’s going on with the Rambler?” Betty asked, jerking her head in the direction of the car. 

“No one can figure it out, honestly, and they’ve gotten bored of trying.” Matheny gave a shrug. 

“Do you know what’s wrong with it?”

At that, the teacher smiled and touched his finger to his nose. “I do. But I’m not going to let anyone know. They can’t fix it, there’s always next year. It can sit there forever if it needs to.” He shrugged and crossed his arms.

“Can I take a look?” Betty’s question made the teacher’s smile stretch. 

“If you want.” And with that he headed back towards his office. 

Betty looked towards the clock and noticed that there were only about twenty minutes left of class. It wouldn’t be worth it for her to change today, besides the skirt and shirt she had worn just weren’t an easy change. 

Shrugging to herself she walked to the Rambler; there were still other things she could do that wouldn’t require her to get dirty today. She could lay the groundwork. As she walked a circuit around the car, she allowed her fingertips to trail along the finish. It was beautiful. Seemingly, the convertible was all original interior with tan leather seats and wood-inlaid dash. The red paint and chrome detailing made Betty think of James Dean, early Harrison Ford, and the golden age of movies. 

Once she came to the driver's side, she slid in and reached into the glovebox finding the user manual and registration information. 

As she was scanning the information she didn’t notice the people around her, which is why she was surprised when the passenger seat opened and Toni slid in. 

“You going to try out Red?” Toni had a challenging glint to her eye and her mouth was set in a smirk. Behind her Joaquin and Fangs had leaned against the car, their arms draped into the interior. 

“Have you tried?” Betty asked, at which Fangs gave a snort of laughter.

“Everybody has.” Joaquin gave a shrug his smile was gentle but amused. 

“But hey, maybe what it needs is you, Blondie.” Toni laid her arm across the bench seat and grinned at Betty. Betty couldn’t help but smile back. 

“You wanna give me a hand, Toni?”

“Oh Hell yes! This baby just needs some estrogen in her life! Too many boys getting all up in her.” Toni laughed while vaulting herself from the car, nearly knocking Fangs over in the process. “You and me, girl, we’re going to make her purr.”

With that, Toni wandered off toward Sweet Pea. Betty thought she heard Toni say something about _your girl_ to Sweet Pea, but that didn’t make sense. Whatever Toni said made Sweet Pea grin and shoot Betty an eyebrow raise. 

“You don’t know what kind of monster you just invited into your life.” Joaquin hung his head between his arms and shook his head, and offered a long-suffering sigh. When Betty glanced at Fangs, she found him quietly laughing. 

“Don’t be too worried. Toni just loves the idea of another gear-headed girl,” Fangs said before walking off to join Sweet Pea and Toni in what appeared to be an escalating discussion about wiring. 

* * *

After the final bell rang Betty found herself in front of her locker looking around for Polly. They were meant to walk home together, but so far Polly hadn’t been responding to any of Betty’s texts. 

“Betty, hey!” Veronica had come to a stop in front of Betty wearing a bright blue cheer uniform. “What has you looking so lost, my dear?”

Betty hefted her backpack higher. “I’m just waiting for Polly.”

Veronica arched an eyebrow. “She’s headed out to the field. She made the cheer team during lunch and it’s supposed to be her first practice.” 

_Oh_. “Oh. That’s… that’s great. What time is practice over, I can just wait for her?” Betty pulled out her phone to look at the time. There were four new text message notifications, which she promptly dismissed. 3:15p.m. 

“It’s not done until 5:30, 6:00 if Cheryl is feeling particularly possessed.” Veronica gave Betty an apologetic look and reached up to squeeze her shoulder. 

Veronica patted her shoulder and took off, claiming that if she was late Cheryl may just scalp her. 

Betty deflated physically. There was no way that she could handle waiting that long. What would she even do? And there were still people hanging around the school, which meant she might have to interact with someone, and her emotional tether was wearing dangerously thin. 

But she didn’t know if she could stomach being in that house alone. Her mom would still be at work, the local paper, and even if she were home it would still be an empty house, at least emotionally. Polly brought light into the darkness that was the Cooper home, and without her there it was all shadows. 

Out of the corner of her eye Betty thought she glimpsed pink and black leather, but when she turned, she found that the Serpents were headed away from her. Throughout the day, and especially in the garage, Betty had felt strong and vibrant. Now that it was just her again, she was back to feeling hollow and small. She didn’t have the energy or the mental endurance to try and ingratiate herself into their circle again.

With a sigh, Betty resigned herself to sitting alone in the bleachers and waiting for her sister. 

* * *

By the time cheerleading practice was over, Betty’s butt was numb from the cold metal bleachers. She had used the time to catch up on homework and start planning for her upcoming essay on societal perceptions. 

Polly was all good humor and energy when she met Betty coming off the field. All Betty could do was smile, tell Polly how good she did, and congratulate her on making the team. What else could Betty do but make sure that Polly kept smiling? 

The walk home was filled with Polly chattering about her day, from her classes, to how cute Jason was, to how wonderful of a friend Cheryl was turning out to be. Polly made sure to remind Betty how Cheryl invited them over on Friday night, it was Monday, that gave Betty time.

When Polly brought up the Serpents and the incident in the hallway, they had just turned onto Elm Street. 

“What was going on with those leather jacket guys?” Polly was no longer smiling and was instead looking at Betty with anticipation.

“They were in a couple of classes with me and showed me around when Kevin had to head somewhere else. I think they’re pretty nice.” Betty’s shoulders shifted uncomfortably; although she had been glossing the truth for a while now, downplaying the Serpents just didn’t sit well with her. 

“Betty, Jason said those guys are pretty dangerous.” Polly’s eyes got big and her bottom lip slipped between her teeth. “I don't like how interested they were in you. They almost acted possessive.”

“Really, Polly, they were just being nice. And I don’t think that the hallway thing had much to do with me and was more of a Northside/Southside territory thing.” Betty offered her sister a small smile, hoping to pacify her. 

“I don’t think you should associate with them. Everyone was talking about how they’re in a gang. A _gang,_ Betty! That’s serious.” Polly’s eyes had grown impossibly wider and had her mouth set in a firm line. “Please try and stay away from them?”

“They’re in my classes, Pol. I don’t think I can just avoid them.” Polly made to interrupt. “But I won’t go out of my way to involve myself, okay?”

“I know you, Betty. You aren’t capable of ignoring something interesting. But try, please.” With that it seemed the conversation was done for Polly. 

After letting themselves into the house, both girls made their way to the kitchen, Polly having called out a greeting for their mom with no response. There was a note on the counter letting them know that their mom wouldn’t be home for dinner and that there were chicken salads in the fridge for them. 

Shrugging, Polly headed upstairs saying that she wasn’t hungry yet. 

After pulling the salad out from the fridge, all Betty did was stare at it in its little plastic container. The inside had begun to form a layer of condensation, and the leaves were beginning to wilt. She grabbed a fork and a knife. 

Carefully, she began to cut the parts of the salad into small pieces, tomatoes, cucumbers, chicken, and lettuce, there was no dressing. Betty lost herself in the task. She found her thoughts were back on her conversation with Polly. 

Betty didn’t want to put distance between herself and the Southsiders. She had watched them throughout the day, even in the Blue & Gold office she had listened. There was something that made her want to sit and listen to Fangs and Sweet Pea bicker and Toni make raunchy jokes, and for Joaquin to intervene before things went too far. She wanted to talk to Jughead and see if he knew how to smile or if that smirk was all he had, and she wanted to know if he would keep watching her. 

But all Betty wanted was to make Polly happy. She would tolerate all the mean girls, she would listen to Polly talk about Jason, she would smile and clap when her sister did a cheer routine; Polly deserved the world. If Betty distancing herself from the Serpents, cutting off the friendship before it could develop, made Polly feel better, then that’s what Betty would do. 

After all, the only one who would be hurt from it would be Betty, and she had plenty of experience.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come talk to me [Twisted-Shrew](https://twisted-shrew.tumblr.com/)


End file.
